Alaena margaritacea

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Wolkberg Zulu
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Lycaenidae
Genus: Alaena
Species:
A. margaritacea
Binomial name
Alaena margaritacea
Eltringham, 1929

Alaena margaritacea, the Wolkberg Zulu, is a species of Zulu butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. [2] It is endemic to South Africa, where it is only known from grassy slopes adjoining Afromontane forest in the Haenertsburg area of Limpopo near the Wolkberg mountain range.

It is under severe threat from alien tree plantations as only two colonies are known to exist.

The wingspan is 24–27 mm for males and 28–30 mm for females. Adults are on wing from late December to early January. There is one generation per year. [2]

The larvae feed on species of cyanobacteria. Intriguing female behaviour has been observed recently, possibly related to attracting mates or keeping ants away from a food source.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolkberg</span>

The Wolkberg is a mountain range in Tzaneen, Limpopo Province, South Africa. It is a northern termination and a subrange of the Drakensberg mountain range which lines up from Eastern Cape, Lesotho, Kwazulu Natal and Mpumalanga. At 2200 m (7200 ft) above sea level, it is the highest mountain range in Limpopo, together with the Iron crown mountain. Its Meteorological significance is that it brings along cold fronts and is a source of cold winters throughout the Limpopo province, the cold front gets transferred from greater Drakensberg mountains in Kwazulu Natal all the way to the Wolkberg. Without the Wolkberg, Limpopo will not experience cold winters at all. The range extends for about 30 km (19 mi) in a NW/SE direction north of Sekhukhuneland. The nearest towns are Haenertsburg and Tzaneen.

References

  1. Coetzer, A.J. (2020). "Alaena margaritacea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2020: e.T772A168313276. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T772A168313276.en . Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  2. 1 2 Woodhall, Steve (2005). Field Guide to Butterflies of South Africa. Cape Town, South Africa: Struik. ISBN   978-1-86872-724-7.